Wire Mesh

I got the idea for this tutorial, after combining 2 other tutorials. I was playing around with a few things, and found this neat way to make a wire mesh screen, sort of like a stero speaker.

If your ready, lets get started.

First, lets take a look at the this finished product:

Ok, we're going to do this in 2 steps. First, we'll create the frame and then we'll create the wire mesh inside the frame.

Open PSP and create a new image 400X400.

From the Tool pallet, pick the Selection Tool with these settings:

Selection Type: Circle

Feather: 0 AntiAlias: Checked

Since our image is 400X400, we can center our circle pretty easily. Look at the lower left corner of the PSP screen. You'll notice a set of numbers that change as you move your mouse.

Move your mouse in the newly opened image until the numbers read 200,200. That is the dead center of our 400X400 image. Personally, I like to use layers when I'm working on a project, so if I make a mistake, I don't have to start all over. I only have to trash the layer I messed up on. So, with that in mind, lets create a new layer now. From the menu bar, select

Layer/New Raster Layer and name it frame.

Starting in the middle of your image, draw out a circle.

With the circle still selected, hold down the CTRL key, find the center of your image, and draw another circle inside the first one.

We need to give this a little texture, so with both circles still selected, change your style from color to gradiant. Thats the striped box:

Then we want to use these settings for Gradiant Options:

You might need to click on the little down arrow on the center box to open the palette to find the metalic setting.

Now flood fill the circle

Now that we have the frame done, lets make it a little fancy. From the menu bar select

Effects/Textures/Blinds

and use these settings:

Then Effects/3d Effects/Inner Bevel with these settings:

And finally, we'll add a little drop shadow using these settings:

and this is what our frame looks like:

Ok, now we move on to our wire mesh......

First, add a new layer and name it mesh.

With the selection tool we are going to draw another circle inside our frame. Starting from the center, drag out the circle to make it over lap the frame by just a little bit.

Next, we use our Flood Fill tool again, with the same settings as we used for the frame, and flood fill our new circle

Now from the menu bar, select

Effects/Texture/Weave

and use these settings:

Now, we have one little step left.....

Press the L key on your keyboard to open the Layer Palette. You will notice that the mesh layer is at the top, with the frame layer right under it.

Click the mesh tab and while holding your left mouse button down, drag this tab on top of the frame tab.

This will reverse the 2 layers, and your mesh will now be UNDER the frame instead of on top of it. and presto, we're done......

I hope you found this tutorial useful...... I had fun doing it up.......

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